Racing legend Kevin Schwantz led over 100 riders at the Ride for Kids® Lap of Champions during the Red Bull Indianapolis GP on Aug. 29. The annual parade lap at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway raised $24,000 for the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation® (PBTF).

Torrance, CA: After two days of extensive testing at world-famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the final touches have been made to the American Honda Moto2 team’s Honda Moriwaki MD600 in preparation for the team’s debut at the Red Bull Indianapolis GP on August 27 to 29. Under the leadership of team manager Kevin Schwantz and with the support of Kevin Erion and his Erion Racing crewmembers, Roger Lee Hayden completed two successful days of testing on his Honda-powered race machine.

After two previous tests—one at Chuckwalla Valley Raceway and a second at Barber Motorsports Park—it all came together at the team’s final test on August 19-20. “We’ve continued to improve on our lap times and more importantly Roger is getting more and more comfortable on the bike,” said Erion. “We made some changes to the swingarm and suspension settings and also worked on finding additional grip via changes to the shock and clutch setup.”

Jake Gagne turned his weekend around with a brilliant victory in the second Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup race of the Cardion AB Grand Prix of the Czech Republic and extends his Cup lead to 11 points with just the single Misano race remaining. The 16 year old Californian stole the lead from arch Cup rival Danny Kent going into the final 'S' bends and left the 16 year old Briton to fend off fellow countryman Harry Stafford for the rostrum places.

Saturday's winner Kevin Calia headed a 16 man battle for the lead on lap 4 but had slipped back a few places when he crashed on lap 5. The 15 year old Italian remounted to finish 16th. Falling at the same corner on the same lap but in separate incidents were pole man Alejandro Pardo and 15 year old Italian Alessio Cappella who knocked off luckless 16 year old Japanese Daijiro Hiura.

Gagne had only qualified 16 after crashing early in qualifying and missing the second session but from the 4th row he made an incredible start. “I think I was about 5th going into the first corner and just raced from there. Yesterday the bike was tough to ride but we made some changes overnight and it was a whole lot better, the front wasn't bottoming everywhere.”

He escaped a nasty looking collision with Kent early on but for the most part the fighting at the front was very well played. It was still typical Rookies action with at least one overtaking move at every corner and that took its toll on the lap times which were mostly a second or so off Saturday's record pace. Lap record holder Daniel Ruiz was out of luck when the bike stopped with an electrical fault on lap 5.

“There was more wind than yesterday,” explained Gagne. “That was moving us around a bit but it was more to do with all the guys passing and re-passing. I tried to break away but it wasn't possible so I just had to try and position myself on the last lap, I got into second for the slipstream up the hill and passed Danny (Kent) into the last corner.”

“I just didn't know he was there,” explained Kent. “That's one of my favourite moves and he played it on me, there was nothing I could do. It was a great race, very fair and we all enjoyed it. I wish I hadn't given Jake the points going into the last race in Misano but I'm just going to have to do better there.” Kent trails Gagne by 11 points but as he is another 30 clear of Binder and Hiura only Kent and Gagne can now win the Cup.

Stafford's 3rd completed a fine weekend for the 16 year old after 4th on Saturday. “That was a great race, I really tried to win it but just wasn't in the right place coming up the hill. Then into the last corners I thought about trying to take second but just couldn't get past and then even with a good run onto the straight there wasn't enough room before the line. Still there's Misano to come.”

Another with the 'still Misano to come', feeling is 15 year old South African Brad Binder who was 4th. “I enjoyed the race, the bike was perfect, I just couldn't get to the front at the right time.”

“Scottish 17 year old Taylor Mackenzie had a fine ride and made a play for the rostrum through the 'S' at the bottom of the final climb. “I tried, but then Harry spoilt my drive up the hill and Brad came past, Josh (Hook) got alongside but I managed to hold him off.” he concluded after crossing the line 5th.

Hook's 6th seemed scant reward for the 17 year old Australian who came off the second row of the grid and led superbly for the first 2 laps. “I had a great start, that was the main thing. I got in front and tried to get away but it was so windy, such a head wind that it wasn't possible. You needed the slipstream to do anything, that's why no one got away. In the end I just wasn't in the right place but it was a lot of fun.”

Niccolo Antonelli, the 14 year old Italian, had another fine ride. When the 7 man group separated he was left to make up a gap of well over a second on his own and he did so superbly, joining them for the closing stages. He got as high as 5th before finally crossing the line 7th which matches his performances in the first 3 races of this, his first Rookies season. Another first year Rookie, 14 year old German, Florian Alt was 8th after holding on to the lead group for the entire race.

Alejandro Pardo chased Danny Kent across the line in the dying minutes of the second qualifying session to seize a brilliant pole position for both the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup races this weekend in Brno as part of the Cardion AB Grand Prix of the Czech Republic.

The 16 year old Italian immediately thanked the 16 year old Briton after the session. “I had to thank him,” said Pardo. “That was the perfect situation because Danny was fast and just ahead of me at the right time. It's my first pole in the Rookies Cup and I'm very happy about that.”

“I enjoyed that session so much, the bike was perfect... and the rider was perfect,” he added with a huge laugh. For the race though I don't know, Danny is very fast, so is Kevin Calia and some of the other guys. I want to win but it will be very difficult. It is impossible to say how the race will go, if it is possible to break away or it could be a whole bunch of us like at other races this year.”

As usual Kent had a smile and a cheerful disposition to go with his front row start. “I'm happy with that but I didn't know he (Pardo) was behind me. Then I thought I could go quicker the next lap but there were a bunch of riders and no chance. We did quite a lot of work on the bike, changed the suspension and the jetting and it is perfect for the race now. I think it might be possible to break away here if you get your head down and the guys behind are holding each other up.”

Third quickest overall after being fastest in the first of the two 30 minute qualifying sessions was 15 year old Italian Kevin Calia who could not get within half a second of that time in the second period. “I just couldn't put in a really good lap in the second qualifying session and I don't know why. I will have to think about it and talk to the engineers but I am not too worried for the race, I was fast all day and I have a good feeling for the bike so I think it should be a good race.”

Completing the front row was 16 year old local hero Tomas Vavrous and nowhere to be seen was Cup Leader Jake Gagne, the 16 year old Californian who will start from the 4th row of the grid in 16th place. “I didn't enjoy watching that second session at all. I crashed in the first qualifying, the carburation was a bit off and it was cutting out and then in again suddenly, that flicked out the rear and high-sided me. The bike was damaged so I couldn't use it in the second session. It's not too much of a problem coming off the 4th row, I'll get a good start and it is a big wide track, I have more speed, I ran pretty good here last year so I'm hoping still to get on the podium.”

The man who chased him across the line in both races in Germany, 15 year old South African Brad Binder, will start from 8th. “That's not too bad, I don't mind the second row. As long as I can get a good start and get away with the guys I can make a race of it.”

One of the surprises of practice was 17 year old Australian Josh Hook who qualified 5th. “Well that was a lot better than I normally do in qualifying. I normally spend too much time wallying around waiting to follow one of the fast guys and try to learn from him. This time I just went out on my own, found a good rhythm and that worked. I had a bit of trouble with the rear sliding which we need to have a look at but otherwise I'm very happy with the bike and looking for a good race.”

Those returning from injury had varying fortunes. Alex Kristiansson found riding with a broken collarbone just about impossible, Alain Techer struggled with lack of track time having not sat on a bike since breaking his arm in Jerez and was at the back of the field. Mathew Scholtz qualified 19th, similarly hindered by lack of track time since his Assen practice crash where he tore his big toe so badly.